Amusement apparatus



Jm'mm 1E mm A. M. HENRY 1W1 AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 17, 1939 '7Sheets-Sheet l Jam m M W A. M. HENRY EMMA-EH AMUSEMENT APPARATUS FiledNov. 17, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. M. JI MENW AMUSEMENT APPARATUS FiledNov. 17, 19359 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 AMUS EMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 17,1939 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 STWIKE Jan. 16, 1940. A. M. HENRY 2,187,422

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 17, 1939 7 Sheets-Shet 5 are 4&2

/66a [12 V6]? for:

Jan. 16, 1940. M E RY 2,187,422

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov; 1'7, 1939 '7' Sheets-Sheet 6 CANCELSTRIKE 358" 94 it [12 Van Z01.-

Jan. 16, 1940. A M HENRY 2,187,422

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed rm; 1"? 1939 "T Sheets-Sheet T 2- atfilm Lllast-mentioned,

Patented Jan. 16, 1940 iJNlTEo .sr'rss rrics 22 Glaims.

This invention relates to games, or amusement apparatus, andhas for amain object to provide a gameor device of the kind just indicated,practicable for employment in so-called shooting galleries (especiallywhen used as a target means,

in connection with the sending of a missile from a firearm, air rifle orthe like), or in other public placeswherethosewho come and pay mayoperate or attempt to operate the game or device, i as well also aslbyBoy Scout troops, school groups,

sporting clubs and other associations, or in taverns and the .like(especially when used as a target means in connection with the sendingof 1 a game or device o'i the kind above indicated, and

5 wherein, with such device preferably embodied, the popular appeal ,ofa shooting contest can be combined with the popular appeal of the gameoi: baseball, and at the same time a game or device will be'providedwhich is quick in action 5? as well as positive in indicating the resultof a shot, which can also conveniently be embodied when desired so as toincorporate automatic means for, the indication of successive base hits,

and the completion of runs, the recording of the latterand theregistering of strikes accord,-

ing toany prearranged rule, and which also can be manufactured atcomparatively low cost and operatedat negligible expense.

In connection with the several advantages these, particularly, were notpresent in the shooting gallerydisclosed and claimed in United Statespatent to Horton and me No. 1, 93,462, granted August 1,1916. 'When anapparatus constructed according to the drawof ,said patent was placed ina shooting gallery at Coney Island, New York, in July, 1914,

such apparatus was found, to put it'briefly, to

have as its chief disadvantage that it was ftoo good. In other words, somuch happened when liame platewashit that an unmanageable assemblage ofspectators and would-beparticipants gathered; in numbers so great that asquad of police had to be called to disperse the crowd.

su lvioreover, from the standpoint of :the ouncesoneoi the targetsections located at the sionaire, who had only the clear days of acomparativelyshort season on which to depend for the recoupment of .hisheavy rent, not to mentionihis hope for some profit from his concession,the apparatus of the patentaforesaid was 5 a distinct disappointment, aswill now be explained.

In thefirst place, said prior apparatus Weighed a =ton,orrmore,was verycostly, and required a tremendous wall space, indeed about 40% of the 10wall space of the average size shooting gallery. (against lthis anadvantage of the present invention is the provision of a device, notonly of exceedingly low cost and light weight enough not to need specialand bulky foundations, but

also ,smallenough that perhaps a dozen thereof can be placed filltheaverage size shooting ga1- lery, While leaving plenty of remainingspace for a large number of clay-pipes, traveling ducks,

frangible :balls supported atop water jets, and

simultaneously shoot, with each contestant shooting at a deviceindividually assigned to him.

In th second place, said prior apparatus had so many interest-intriguingvisibleworking parts which-operated when target section was hit thatafter the firing of each shot, the one shoot-a ing Waited to Watch allthe things happening, and even tolisten to and answer the remarks(ii-bystanders, before making another shot. Also, if the patron missedthe target completely, so thathone of said working parts visiblyoperated, he would wait sometimes a full minute inthe hope that themachine was slow-acting, and

in, the disinclination to believe that he had endeavoring withinacertain number of minutes l to shatter a line of clay pipes, theproprietor of the gallery does not make a fair profit.

An object of the present invention is to provide asimple and inexpensivegame or apparatus having the popular appeal of a shooting contest As is45 and also that of the game of baseball, wherein each base hit and/orrun completion and/or each missing of a target and/or each hitting of atarget, will be instantly and unmistakably recorded; so that there willbe no excuse for pauses between shots.

Another object is to provide a game or device as last described, whereinsimple and practical means are incorporated for timing a contestant torequire him to make a certain number of shots within a given timeinterval, as by placing him under a certain penalty for his failure todo so.

Another object is to provide a game or device as above described, andfor giving one or more of the registrations and recordations abovereferred to, which can be instantly reset to zero or starting condition,as to all of the recording instrumentalities employed, when one patronceases shooting and it is desired to reset the device for the startingof a second contest.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive game or apparatushaving the popular appeal of a shooting contest and also that of thegame of baseball, and wherein simple and practical means are providedfor timing the effectiveness of a shot relative to the travel of theprojectile object of play in an actual game of baseball, to wit, thebaseball itself, in simu- 1 lation of that rule of an actual game ofbaseball according to which the ball must be struck while it is passingover the plate. Means to this end were a feature of the patentedapparatus aforesaid; but in the case of the present invention 7 thecomplexities, and the disadvantage of having the replica of the baseballand its carrying means subjected to injury from shots striking the same,are avoided.

A very important object of the present invention is to provide a targetarrangement in a game or device having the popular appeal of a shootingcontest as well as that of the game of baseball, such that the target assoon as struck will become transformed so as to be more difficult tohit, as by diminishing the area thereof, and/or changing the locationthereof, and so that when the thus transformed target is struck it willsimi larly be made even more difficult to hit than before, and so on; tothe end that a contestant who is able to hit the easiest target will belured on to attempt to hit the next most difficult tar get. According tothe present invention, as preferably embodied, each hitting of a targetwill advance the contestant one base; that is, the easiest target willbe the one which he has to hit in order to be advanced to first base,and when he is on first base a more diflicult target will be presented,so that he will'have to show greater skill in getting from first base tosecond base, and still greater skill in getting from second base tothird base, with the most difiicult target of all being that one whichhe must hit in order to go from third base back to the home plate andthereby set to his credit one run.

Various other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to orbecome apparent from the following description, when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, showing embodiments of the invention asnow preferred.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one such embodiment,the peripheries ofcertain hidden scoring disks being indicated in broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, showing disks in front elevationand also showing certainother parts; this view being taken on the line2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing various operating partshidden in Fig. 2 behind said disks; this view being taken on the line 44of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View, taken on the line 5--5 of Figs. 2and 4.

Fig. 6 is a somewhat d agrammatic View, showing electrical elements andwiring connections.

Fig. 7 is generally a vertical elevational view, illustrating anotherembodiment, in so far as are concerned features thereof whereby changeof target size is accompanied by change of target location.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective View, showing a detail ofconstruction.

Figs 9, 10, 11 and 12 illustrate the front of the apparatus as displayedto the person shooting, according, respectively, as such apparatusappears when said person starts shooting, when he has struck a target toadvance a man to first base, when he has struck a target to advance aman to second base, and when he has struck a target to advance a man tothird base.

Fig. 13 is a view illustrating still another embodiment,-the same beingsomewhat diagrammatic in certain particulars, being largely electrical,and arranged in such manner that mechanical elements are shown in frontelevation.

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line ill-i i of Fig,13.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary detail view.

Fig. 16 is a front elevation of an embodiment wherein the missile is aray of light from a raygun and the target area exposed is a photoelectric cell.

Fig. 17 shows said embodiment also in front elevation, but with thecover plate removed.

Fig. 18 is mainly a vertical section taken on the line l3|8 of Fig. 17.

. Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to theexemplifying form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, at i0 isindicated a front wall behind which are located various mechanisms, andat Illa a rear wall in back of the latter.

On the obverse side of wall it is displayed a conventionalrepresentation of a baseball field, since this embodiment shows theinvention employed'in such a way that a similitude of the game ofbaseball can be played by shots fired at a target means pursuant to theinvention. In the present case, such representation as shown includes adiamond having four base line paths joining the four bases, these lastbeing shown as squares so that they suggest the actual base positioningsacks or markers.

The home plate is designated by an opening i2, first base by an opening:3, second base by an opening M, and third base by an opening it. As isalso conventional in apparatus for graphically reproducing an actualbaseball game then being actually played at some remote point, such, forinstance, as the apparatus disclosed in United States patent to me No.1,043,765, of November 5, 1912, said representation is shown as alsoincluding a. path i6 joining the pitchers position I? and the homeplate.

Mounted on a shaft [8 is a disk I9 hereinafter called the base-runningdisk.

Base-running disk I 9 has secured thereto a ratchet 20 having twelveteeth, whereby when a mechanism including a pawl2l is operated, saiddisk will be advanced th of a revolution in the direction indicated bythe arrow Illa in Fig. 2. When a person starts shooting, as to commence.

, participation in a shooting contest, the baserunning disk ispositioned as shown, that is, a man-on-base symbol, in the present casea maltose cross 22, is short of having a position corresponding to theopening it! in wall Ill at first base, by l th of a revolution. of [9. Asecond similar symbol 23 is short of having reached the opening i l in awall Iii at second base by ths of a revolution of said disk, and athirdsimilar symbol 2 is short of having reached the opening. l5 in wallH3 at third base by ths of a revolution of said disk. As will be seen,starting with the disk in the position shown in Fig. 2, the first A threvolution thereof will expose a man-on-base symbol at first base, thenext th revolution of said disk will expose a man-on-base symbol onsecond base and remove the previously displayed symbol from first base,a third i th revolution of said disk will display a man-on-base symbolat third base and remove the previously displayed symbol from secondbase, and a fourth /lgth. turn of said disk will remove the symbolpreviously displayed at third base and will bring the three. symbols tosuch positions that the fifth, sixth, seventh and e'ghtl'l ensuing 16 threvolutions of said disk will display symbols, respectively, as saidsymbols were.

set following said first, second, third and fourth gth revolutions ofsaid disk; and so on indefinitely.

The pawl 2| is pivoted on an arm 25 rockable on shaft l8, and from thepivotal connection between the pawl and arm a link [8a is connected to anonunagnetic extension 2'6 of an armature 26 for a solenoid 27. Saidarmature has a nonmagnetic extension pin 28 guided loosely by a suitableopening in a fixed plate 29. Pin iii carries a dependent arm 28aconnected to one end of a retractile coil spring 30 the other end ofwhich is secured at 30.

Each time the solenoid 271 is energized, the arm 25. is rocked in aclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, thereby rotating thebase-running disk i9 through i th of a revolution; said arm, the pawl 2iand the movable parts of and associated with the solenoid returning totheir. normal positions, under action of spring 343, on subsequentdeenergization ofthe solenoid.

In. order squarely to halt the base-running disk ill at the conclusionof each V th revolution thereof, the periphery of another disk 3!therebelow, and sprocket-and-chain driven therewith all as will bedescribed in a moment, has four equidistant and properly placed notches3! each of which coacts with a leaf spring 3|" to provide an impositiveyet dependable detent.

The target location is, in the structure now being described; behind thehome-plate opening it in front wall ill, which opening i2 is shown ascircular and as large as the largest of a plurality of circular openingsof difiering diameters in the disk 3|. This disk 3!, hereinafter calledthe target-modifier disk, is revolvable on a shaft 33. Disk 3! is somounted as to rotate with a sprocket il l, driven by a sprocket chainpassing over a sprocket es mounted to rotate with base-running disk l9;the sprockets being such that on each complete revolutionoftargetrnodifier disk ti base-running i9 is rotated through rd of arevolution.

When a person first commences to shoot, that is, when as aforesaid thedisk i9 is set as shown in Fig. 2, the disk 3! is set as thereshown,;that

is, the largest opening did therein is matched to the home-plate openingE2 in front wall Hi.

There are three other circular openings in the disk 3|, markedrespectively (lib, tie and tid. I51 The centers of these four openingsin said disk lie in a circle concentric with the axis of the disk, andthe centers of said openings are spaced 90 around such axis. Thus, oneach quarter revolution of the target-modifier disk 3!, corresponding toeach /lgth revolution of base-running disk is, there is substituted, forthe opening in the disk (it previously at the target position (behindhome-plate opening it), the next succeeding opening of the disk 3!clockwisely of the disk 32.

As will be noted, the opening bib is or" smaller diameter than theopening Sid, the opening Sicis of smaller diameter than the opening bib,and the opening 3ld is of smaller diameter than the opening 31 c.

Consequently, with the parts initially set as shown in Figs. 1, 2 or 4,the target opening at home plate which the one shooting will test hisskill against, is the largest opening in targetmodifier disk 3i, thatis, the opening 360..

Assume now that he fires a shot which through said opening, and that thesolenoid ii is energized. Thereupon, the disk i9 will be rotated A th ofa revolution to place a man (the symbol 22) on first base, butsimultaneously therewith the target opening next to be presented to theskill of the, person shooting is re" duced in size to that of theopening Ziib in target-modifier disk 3i. Consequently, it will requiremore skill to advance from first base to second base, than to reachfirst base. Similar y, since a person shooting who placed is man onsecond base will next have to try his skill against a target openingcorresponding to the opening illc of disk t l, it will be still harderfor him to advance from second base to third base. And, since when hehas progressed to third base, he must try his skill against a targetopening as" small as the opening Rid of target-modifier 3!, 5;. thegreatest extreme of skill will be required to bring in a run.

There will. now be described the means for operating the solenoid iteach time a person shooting hits the target, that sends his 1, bulletthrough the opening in the target-modifier disk then at the target orhorne-plate position. Fixedly suspended from a loosely mounted 31, so asnormally to depend vertically by gravity, is a target proper 3&3,hereinafter called the target plate. As shown best in Fig. 6, this plateis free to swing backward, when impacted by a bullet passing through thetarget opening, so cause a contact 3d moving therewith to touch a fixedcontact iii-lo thus closing a normally open Gm circuit including thecoil of solenoid Such circuit is shown in Fig. 6 as starting from asuitable current supply source it, and thence including a wire ii, saidcontacts 39 an i We, a wire 42, a switch including relatively 1'.contacts 43 and M (if such switch be instance, as shown and as below de;ti wire 45, the coil of solenoid ground.

Mounted to rotate with targetunodifie disk and sprocket wheel 34, is acam il havi 410.. On the completion of each revc disk 3!, which alwaysfollows four strings of the target plate 38 (each oi such strikingaccomplished through a smaller opening in the disk 31 than theimmediately preceding striking) that is, following a f g-the revolutionof disk I9 (during which ths revolution a man is successively advancedto first base, then to second 3 base, then to third base, and thencleared away from the third base, with each such successive advanceaccomplished by one of four separate strikings of the target plate28)the cam lobe 41 moves through a field of operation such that arun-scoring disk 48 will be rotated in the direction of the arrow 48a ofFig, 2, through a proper fraction of a revolution, in order to registera run.

Said disk 48 is fixed on a shaft 49, has runscoring numerals arranged onthe front face thereof as shown in Fig. 2, and is, when a person firstcommences shooting, held so that the zero oi said numerals is displayedthrough a run-registering opening 50 in front wall It; the disk beingthen thus held by abutment of a projection 48' thereof against asuitably fixed stop 48s, this abutment insured by gravity acting on aweight 5| guided in a tubular shaftway 52. Weight 5i is secured to thelower end of a fiexible metal band 53, the upper end of which isanchored to a drum 54 fixed on the same shaft 49 which carries therun-scoring disk 48.

Each time the target-modifier disk 3i has finished one completerevolution, marking the bringing in of a run, the run-scoring disk 49raises by an increment of l the numerical reading previously displayedthrough opening 58. The required fractional rotation of disk 38 isaccomplished through a lever 55 fulcrunimed at 5B and at one endpresenting a follower for the cam lobe 41a and at its other end beingpivoted to the bottom of a vertical link 51 the top of which ispivotally connected to a lever 58 loose on shaft 49 and carrying a pawl59 so engaging the teeth of a ratchet 60 fixed on said shaft 19 that,each time the lever 55 is rocked by said cam lobe traversing itsaforesaid field of operation, the run-total showing at the front wallopening 59 is increased by 1.

In order to overcome the constant tendency of weight 5! to rotate theratchet in a counterclockwise direction, thereby to return the disk 49to zero reading, a second or detent pawl fil is fixedly pivoted at 62and held against the ratchet by a leaf spring 63.

The parts just described are most clearly shown in Fig. 4; and in thisview will be noted a solenoid and certain other parts above the twopawls 59 and GI. These elements of the apparatus, which have to do withrestoring the run-recordation to a zero reading, as when one personfinishes shooting and another is about to begin, will be laterdescribed.

As hereinabove already indicated, a feature of the invention is theprompt recording of the result of every shot. corded as well as a hit.As will be seen from Fig. 1, front wall it is provided with an opening54, for the display therethrough of a signal that a shot has been amiss, such signal in the present case being a strike registration.Normally, that is, when a person first commences shooting, the zero of asuitable set of numerals carried by the front of a disk 65, hereinaftercalled the strike-recording disk, will be displayed through the opening64.

This disk is fixed on a shaft 66. Also fixed on this shaft is what maybe termed an escapement wheel 61. Loosely pivoted on the shaft 66 is arocker-lever 68 normally resiliently held vertical and 84 are here shownas carried by the shooting 75 Thus, a miss should be reby a retractilecoil spring 69 as shown. A collar 10 (Fig. 5) is so set on shaft 66 thatsufficient friction is set up between the hub portion of therocker-lever 68 and escapement wheel 61 to restrain the latter from everfollowing any mere swinging movement of the rocker-lever.

Otherwise stated, the escapement wheel, and consequently thestrike-recording disk 55, will not rotate fractionally in eitherdirection, until one of the teeth of the escapement wheel is engaged andpositively pushed to an extent required fractionally to rotate theescapement wheel to change a numerical reading at the window 64.

The instrumentality for giving such push is a crescential or double pawlIii pivoted on the upper end of a rocker-lever 68 at 10 and resilientlybiased to the position shown by a leaf spring TI anchored at its upperend to the hub of said double pawl and at its lower end to therocker-lever 66.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, to give a strike indication or to increasethe strike-total reading, the strike-recording disk 65 should be rotatedin a clockwise direction, as per the arrow 65a in Figs. 2 and 4.

Referring now to the latter view, each time the rocker-lever 68 is swungto move the pivot '19 for a proper throw toward the right, the pawl l3elfects the required fractional rotation of the disk 65.

Such movement of said pivot occurs on energization of a solenoid 12; asthen an armature l3 on which this solenoid magnetically acts, is movedtoward the right and in such manner as, through a rod l4 fixedly carriedby the armature, and through a link '55 operatively connected to saidrod and a finger l0" upstanding on pawl it above the upper end ofrocker-lever $3, to give the element last-mentioned the prevised swingtoward the right.

During this swing, leaf spring H, which is weaker than coil spring 89,is first bowed, thereby lowering the rightward horn of the pawl 79 onthe rocker-lever so that such horn will surely engage the tooth ofescapement wheel 6'! lying therebelow, before a swinging of therocker-lever toward the right commences. Following engagement of saidhorn with said tooth, the action of the solenoid 12 on its armature i3is effective to rotate the escapement wheel, and with it thestrike-recording disk 65, through the fractional revolution required toincrease the reading through the window 64 by an increment of 1.

On subsequent deenergization of the solenoid 72, the parts returnautomatically to the dispositions shown in Fig. 4, except that, asalready explained, the escapement wheel and the disk 65 stand fast inthe positions to which they were just previously advanced. Suchrestoration of the parts is accomplished by means of a retractile coilspring 76, one end of which is secured to a fixed bracket l1 and theother end of which is secured to an upstanding arm 18 fixed on a rod 19carried by armature l3 and loosely passing through a guiding opening(not shown) in a leaf ll depending from bracket 'l'i.

Solenoid I2 is in a normally open circuit, and means are provided toclose such circuit each time a shot is fired and a target is missed.

Such circuit is shown in Fig. 6 as starting from the current supplysource 49, and thence including a wire 80, a wire 8i leading to acontact 82, a wire 83 leading from a contact 84, the coil of solenoidl2, and a wire 85 to ground. The contacts 82 veniently a small-armsrifle of about .22 calibre as commonly used in shooting galleries.

suitable mountof insulation and in such position that before the"trigger is pulled the circuit is open, but on pulling the trigger thecontacts touch. As indicated, the wires ill and will be "quite light andflexible and long enough to allow the person shooting considers...

, latitude in position and posture relative to his post front of counterill, which in a shooting gallery acts as the separating barrierbetweenthe proprietor of the gallery and the patron shooting.

As the embodiment now being described has so far beendescribed, everytime a shot is fired, a strike will be registered. However, itpreferable to register such strike only when a base hit is notregistered. In order toattain this result, another solenoid lid isprovided, Thearinature acted onby the solenoid it as above de'scribedisalso the armature which is acted on by the solenoid Bil. It should benoted that armature is normally held as shown by coaction of the springit (and also the spring 6B) withanother spring to,

now favored form in the apparatus fi l l rl alsoa retractile coilspringbut onearranged to pull in direction opposite to that the pull ofspring it, This spring til is at one end connected to armfid and is atits other end anchored at a fixed point Bil; these springs it and beingbalanced inytheir pulls when the parts are disposed shown in e.

A solenoid ordinarily acts fairly rapidly, and therefore each time ashot is fired one or an additional strike will be registered by actionof the solenoid '52 as above described. This action takes placeimmediately on pulling the trigger of the rifle If, however, a secondlater the bullet strikes the target plate thatthe strike just previouslyregistered should be cancelled, the sole noidllt is energized therebymoving the armature .lll not only from its extreme rightward locationto, which it was just sent by energization of the solenoid l2, to itsnormal position shown, in broken lines in Fig. but beyond thislast-mentinned position and to al'eftward extreme position aslfl'lLlfili'lGPflOVBd from said normal position as was is saidrightwardlimit of travel. There-,

by, andby action first of the leaf springii and subsequent movement ofthe rockerdever fill as already described, the escapement wheel [il andthe (illare rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, that is, indirection opposite to that of the arrow sears Figs. 2 audit, and to anextent sufd cient to cancel out the strike registration just previouslymade. f i

The circuit for the solenoidtil is shown. in Fig. 6 starting from thecurrentsource id and including the wire ii, the contacts 38 and the wire62 between said contactZ-llla to the point be, a wire (iii, the coil ofthe solenoid, and a wire 9! to ground. In order to necessitate shots tobe fired at cerr suggestive of the judgment required of a batter inactual game of baseball, now preferred feature of the invention isembodied in a .trated in L, to 6. According to thisarrangemeot, saidtirn ng is in terms ofthe pitch. I A. representation of baseball. whichcan be of any, shape,- but is preferably a circular figure, wit orwithout indicative of the cover'stitchings of a .ceball, is caused totravel, preferably at a uniform rate of speed, up and down the path ittion is indicated by a line llli.

ball 32 reaches the pitcher, that is, arrives at the end oi its upwardtravel, it immediately starts its (Fig.1) between the pitchers andcatchers positions.

Such representation is, shown at 92, and such stitching-s at 92', inFig.l. Said path is here constituted by a panel 93 of laminated orshatterlength with the panel 93, but obliquely inclined relative to theplane of said front wall, as illustrated; such mirror being desirably ofthinsheet metal chromium plated. oscillable on a suitable pivot illiisuasocket lit for an electric light bulb ill, this socket being continuedas a beam-emitting tube fill equipped with a suitable condenser lens Biland so forming an oscillable searchlight with a beam the mirror surface.Said lens can be painted with an opaque material to causethe arcuatelines shown at 92 in Fig. 1 to be always seen. as part of therepresentation of the baseball visible from the front of the apparatus.If thesocket 96 is oscillated to run the beam up and down the mirrorlit, a person at the front of the apparatus will see the ball beingfirst thrown from the pitcherto the catcher and then returned to thepitcher and then thrown again to the catcher and so on.

In Fig. 2 the Searchlight is shown at the upper limit of itsoscillation, with its axis extended= along the line we. Such line isalso shown, similarly numbered, in Fig. 6, where the position of thesearchlight at the lower limit ofits oscilla- When thebeampause beforethe beam ball recommences an 1115- ward travel,-in fact it disappearsfor the space of time measured by that pause. That is, the

line M32 of s, not the line llli, indicates the axial line of theSearchlight when the beamball 23's is at the bottom of the mirror- 9d.

the ball, over the plate that a shot could be required to be fired if ahitting of the target by that shot is to be effective to actuatebase-run-,

nine; disk ll Such a result could be secured by,,

employment of the hereinabove referred to switch elements and t l theelement 4-3 being a spring contact suitably insulated as shown and tohave an end ride over an insulation ring secured to the socket ill, andthe element 44 being acontact segment setin said ring and so i {.315 Itwould be during this pause, that is, while elongated-peripherally ofthe, ring and so angularly located thereon, that only while said socketis moving downwardly. and then upwardly,

. through the angle measured by the lines llll and Hi2, the-energizingcircuit for the solenoid i2 is closed through said switch.

Oscillation of the searchlightdncluding socket is here shown as eifectedby the following means. A solenoid lll l has an armature Hi5 cart isurged toward a position such that its axis will coincide with the lineEdit, by a retractile coil spring lil'i, then the armature M15 is drawnout of center with the winding of the solenoid When the parts are thusdisposed, a suitably insulated contact I98 on arm 96' touches asuitablyinsulated fixed contact I09. From supply wire 40 a wire H leads tocontact I08, and from contact I09 a wire III leads to the winding ofsolenoid M, such winding continuing as a Wire H2 to ground. I Thus, eachtime the socket 96 arrives at a position where its axis coincides withthe line I00, the energizing circuit for solenoid I04 is closed, andthereupon the armature I05 is moved upwardly to become centralizedrelative to the winding of the solenoid. But by this movement, theenergizing circuit for the solenoid is broken, and the spring I01returns the armature to its full line position. Then again the energizedcircuit for the solenoid is closed and the armature is again centralizedrelative tothe solenoid winding; and so on. In order to time the rate oftravel of the up and down movements of the beam-ball 92, each risingmovement of the armature Hi5 is subject to the control of a dash pot IIJadjustable by a needle valve H4 and the tension of the spring can bemade adjustable in any well known way, as, for instance, as illustratedat H5.

Referring now to the exemplifying means herein illustrated for timingthe firing of a series of shots, as the eight shots customarily alloweda patron of a shooting gallery for a pay-- ment of $.25, this means asshown functions first as a repetitive warning of the amount of theallotted time which before each such warning has elapsed, and then as afinal notification that no more shots can be made, and, further, sooperates that this final notification actually insures that a shot madetoo late will be fruitless for scoring; said means, moreover, being soconstructed that the period allotted for the firing of such eight shots(or some other predetermined number of shots) can be varied whendesired.

. As shown, electric light bulbs H6, H1 and H8 (see particularly Figs. 1and 6) are the, instrumentalities for respectively giving the successivewarnings-according to such an arrangement, for instance, that the bulbH6 warns that onequarter of said period has elapsed, the bulb Hl thatone-half of said period has elapsed, and the bulb H8 warns thatthree-quarters of said period have elapsed. Also, as shown, eachof thesebulbs is placed behind a circular window IIBa of shatter-proof glasssuitably set in front wall I2; these windows being preferably spacedacross thetop of the wall Ill distances representing fractions of thewidth of the wall corresponding to the time interval fractions ofsaidperiod the completions of which are flashed by the respective bulbs.

The means for giving the final notification that said period isconcluded, and for positively preventing further unauthorized shots tobe of any effect in scoring, here includes a pair of fixed thereonspur-pinions 7 l the other leaf is thrown to its broken line position.While the shooting time period is running, the two leaves are in thisfull'line positions, resting on stop pins I23. When the period ends, asolenoid I24 is energized, thereby drawing in wardly and centrally ofthe winding thereof an armature I25, guided rearwardly thereof'by a pinextension I25 loosely passing through a suitable aperture in a U-strapIZ'I and guided forwardly thereof by the resting of a reduced extensionI28 of the armature on a roller I29. This armature extension I 28 istoothed to provide a rack meshing with one of the pinions I2I. The throwof the armature is such that when the solenoid is energized the rack ismoved to the left the amount required to rock the leaves I20 to theirbroken line positions, thereby to cover the home-plate opening I2 andpresent a shield to prevent any shots subsequently fired from reachingthe target 28 and to display the word Stop 1 in said opening. Ondeenergization of the solenoid I25, an expansile coil spring I30sleeving the pin extension I26 within the spool of the solenoid anddesirably of phosphor-bronze or some other suitable non-magneticmaterial restores the parts to their full line positions.

The bulbs Ht, Ill and H8 are successively lighted, and finally theleaves I2Il are thrown to their broken line positions, by automaticallyopcrating electric-switch means fixed contacts IIIia, II'Ia, H811 andI2Ila. The period or time interval allowed for shooting the agreednumber of shots is measured by a wheel I3I rotating in the direction ofthe arrow shown thereon in Figs. 4 and 6. This wheel has a rim ofinsulation in which is set a contact segment I3I, which, during onerevolution of the wheel in an anti-clockwise direction from the startingincluding four position thereof shown, coacts successively with thefixed contacts Hfia, HIa, H811 and IZIIa, first er for said train, is asuitable main spring I33 such that when wound as intended and thenreleased, said train operates to rotate the wheel I3i through onerevolution as above. The springwinding shaft ltd of the clockworkcarries a spur gear I 35 so connected to said shaft, as by anoverrunning clutch not shown but of any suitable type, that said gear asviewed in Fig. 4 can rotate in an anticlockwise direction withoutcausing rotation of said shaft, yet when rotated in a clockwisedirection it will cause the spring I33 to be wound. Meshing with thegear I35 is a vertical rack I36 which on an upstroke thereof will rotatesaid gear in the direction to wind said spring. This rack is carried bythe armature I31 of a solenoid I38, these last two parts being soarranged that when the solenoid is energized the rack performs its saidupstroke of a length to wind up the spring I33 as intended. Ondeenergization of the solenoid, the armature is turned by a spring I39to the position shown, and idly, as aforesaid, relative to the train ofclockwork,

In order to vary the length of said period or timing interval, thetrain-of clockwork as shown includes a wheel I40 carrying an adjustableairbrake I II of the well-known shiftable vane type.

When a person desires to commence shooting, the solenoid I38 isenergized, and incidental to this the solenoid HM is deenergized byopening the previously closed circuit therefor. As shown,

there is a push button M2 on the counter 81. On pushing in such button,a circuit is closed for the solenoid iiluand .therack 35 on armatureliii performs an upstroke, thereby winding up spring Hi3. Said circuit(Fig. 6) includes the wires and a wire Mia, the push "button Edi, aiiilla to the solenoid and thence a wire ltd to ground. On releasing thepush butten, the spring lad restores said armature to the positionshown; and thereupon the time-interval wheel lfii starts its appointedrotation. Immediately this occurs, the contact segmentilii l beyond thefixed contact 2%, opens a circuit starting from source it and includinga wire the wheel ltil and said contactseg-- ment, W d fixed contactiillla, a .wire liliib, the of solenoid Mi l and a wire .lli'licto-ground.

Thereby, predeterminedly relative :to the movement of wheel liil, and atthe beginning of the shooting period, the target is exposed through theopening it in front wall til and the opening ru line positions.

contact buib, d a wire l to ground.

At the conclusion of one-half of said shooting period, the bulb illflashes; ,due to a circuit beclcsed which includes said wire 443a andwheel ldl, its contact segment :ieii-l', the cd contact ll'la, a wire 1.M to the filament of said bulb, and a wire M5 to ground.

At the conclusion of three-quarters of said shooting p iod, the :bulb MBflashes; due to a circuit bei closed which includes said wire a, thewheel litl, its contact segment 13!, d contact it a wire Mb to thefilament bulb, and a wire t ill to ground. A the conclusion of saidperiod, the solenoid lid is a ain. energized; due to the aforesaidcircuit being closed which includes the wire ime and the wheel itscontact segment ldl, the n: ed contact and the wires J's x3 3 and iliic; thus, also aforesaid, throwing the leaves "iii! to the r brokenlinepositions. Thereafter, until again push button i is actuated, saidleaves as last described. E) .e, whenever .a person desires to commencefor a score-rnaking eiiort resulting X0111 firing shots as predeterminedrelative to a previscd shooting period, a previous such may have lefttarget-modifier disk M in other than Starting position (that is, in aposition such that the largest opening 31a thereof not .pposite thehome-plate opening l2 in front wall iii), means are provided forallowing ant readily to restore said disk to its "1g position. Thismeans as shown push button M2! on the counter li'll in circuit startingfrom current proper si nd includingthe wire 8d, a wire M9 c testing thelatter to'said push button and nce a wi e 5 iii? .ining the wire 45 atthe point The push button M65 is operated the number required, each timeto energize and actuate the colenoi" ill once, to eiie t the destationoi the target-modifier disk rly, may be necessary at the starting of asno vring period to restore the strike-reading shown at windowt l infront Wall iii, to zero.

Such restoration means here includes a push but ton 15.2 on the counter81 and interposed in a circuit starting from current source and -including the wire fill, a Wire i513, connecting the latter to said pushbutton, and thence a wire the joining the wire 83 at the point its. pushbutton, operated the number of times relquired, each time to energizethe solenoid 12, on each such actuation fractionally rotates thestrike-recording disk 5.5 in an anti-clockwise direction, until a zeroindication is restored at,

tion of lever is always yieldingly held against.

cam 4i by a retractile coil spring .115?! connected at its upper end toa. fixed point and at its lower end :toa collar [58 on the-vertical link15 which :operatively connects said lever and pawl 5fl,land

which pawl, as already described, rotates the z run-recording disk 433in a clockwise direction each time the base-running disk illi completese hsiof .a revolution. It will be recalled, also, that normally thedetent pawl 2M holds the runrecording disk against retrograde rotation.In order when desired to rearrange these parts so thatthen therun-reading shown atwindow 5!] zip. ,front wall Ml can be restored tozero, as, for instance, when such restoration .is required at the startof a shooting period, means are proyided including a solenoid I58,anarniature 158a, therefor, and a rod extension i513 "from said armatureand having a reduced prolongation Jbfi" loosely guided in suitableaperture in a -han:ger Rod extension 158' is provided with pair of pinsloll and liil, arranged as shown -relative, respectively, to upstandingfingers Ma and 59o, carried, respectively, by pawls El and 5d. Normally,that is with the parts arranged as illustrated in Fig. 4, these pawlscan operate as hereinabove described for scoring runs during a shootingperiod; the armature being held out or center within the winding of thesolenoid by a leaf spring 162 at its upper end anchored on an upstandingpcrtion'i ilcz of bracket IGI and pressing at its lower end against acollar IE3 wfixed on armature prolongation 15.3".

A circuit, which includes the push button 556, provided for energizationof the solenoid I58 when such push button is manually operated; suchcilCl1it starting at the currentsource c413, and thence including wires8A] and till, a wire 1'59, said .push button, a wire Ltd, the winding ofthe solenoid, and a wire N to ground.

In operating the embodiment above described, any suitable setlofrulesior a s'oloshooting period by a single person or for a contestbetween a plurality of perscnseacb shootingat one of the apparatus, can"be adopted. For instance, where two persons are in a contest, and firstone and i to this factor the enema-king the least number of strikes.Said condition might be that when either contestant has had say ninestrikes scored against him, he will be retired from the contest, as bythe analogy that he is representing a baseball team of which threemembers thereof can go to bat, with each such member to be retired frombatting after having made three strikes.

Just as the rate of throwing of the ball 92 can be varied as desired, ashereinabove described, and as the shooting period measuring means can bevaried as above described, the openings carried by the target-modifierdisk 3i can be varied as desired. To this last end, such disk ispreferably quickly detachably secured to its carrying sprocket wheel asby screws, bolts, cotter pins, or the like. That is, one such disk maybe readily substituted for another, not only to vary the nature of thecontest by changing the sizes and/or the relative sizes of the openingsin said disk, but also to replace an old disk by a new one when theformer after long use has been damaged, as, for instance, by having oneor more of the openings therein deformed by bullet impact Referring nowto the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs '7 to 12, whereinthe location of an outline of a front wall I95 of suitable size andpreferably rectangular shape is in dicated by dot-and-dash lines, andwherein merely a base-hit scoring mechanism is illustrated, said boardis provided with four targetdisplay openings instead of merely one at I2in Fig. 1. These openings are here marked I69, I91, I98 and I69; andeach is located at one of the four base points-it being desirable thatthe obverse face of the wall I65 carry base-lines joining these bases orsome other representation suggestive of the playing field of the game ofbaseball Each of these openings is here shown as square There are notonly four such openings, but four targets each similar to the targets 38of 2. One of these targets, H9, is behind the home-p1ate opening I65Another of these tarets. IN, is behind the first base opening I61 Stillanother of these targets, I12, is behind the second base opening I68 Andthe fourth of these targets, I13, is behind the third base opening I69As shown in Figs '7 and 8, each of these four targets has operativelyassociated therewith a contact M3911, ISIc, H3811 and I99a, as the casebe, each such contact suitably insulated When any target is struck, anormally open circuit is closed which includes a source of current I'Mand a wire I75, and thence, as the case may be, a wire I'm; or wiresIii, H8 and I19; or all the three wires last mentioned except the last;or the wire Ill, and thence, as the case may be, the contact Ififia, I5Ia, IBM or 59a and its associated target, and thence, as the case maybe, a wire I86}; or said wire Hi) and a wire I8I; or the two wires lastmentioned and a wire I82; or the three wires last mentioned and a wireI93, and thence to the winding of a solenoid I 84 and a wire I85 toground Revoluble on the shafts shown are four spur gears of the samediameter each carrying a target-varying disk I86, I81, I88 or I89 Thesegears mesh as shown in a continuous train be ginning with the gearcarrying disk I86 and ending with the gear carrying disk I87 Fixed torotate with the gear I86 is a spur pinion I99, meshing with a spur gearI9I, on a shaft I9I,

' this gear last mentioned having secured thereto a ratchet I92 Loose onthe shaft I9! is an arm I93 which at its free end pivotally carries apawl I94 and is pivotally connected to a link I95 similarly connected atI95 to a reduced extension I960, of an armature I96 for the solenoidI84; said extension I9Ga being guided loosely in a suitable aperture ina hanger I97, and the pawl I94 being resiliently urged to the normalposition shown by a spring I98 On each energization of the solenoid I84,by a closing of any of the four circuits above described, this occuringon the striking by a bullet of the appropriate target I69, I61, IE8 orI69, the pawl I94 is operated to rotate the gear I9I one-eighthrevolution, and the pinion I99 one-quarter rev-' olution, and,consequently, each of the four target-varying disks one-quarterrevolution.

Referring now to Figs. 9, 1G, 11 and 12, in the first of these theappearance of the apparatus at the start of the shooting period so faras the eye of the person firing is concerned, is shown. In Fig. 10, isillustrated a first diminution in target size, and the shifting of thetarget from home plate to first base (as, also, to indicate that now aman is on second base). And in Fig. 12 is illustrated the lastdiminution in target size, and the shifting of the target from secondbase to third base (as, also, to indicate that now a man is on thirdbase). When the last referred to target is hit, the apparatus againbecomes arranged as shown in Fig. 9, and, as by the means described inconnection with Figs. 1 to 6, a run is recorded.

In order that at each operation of the solenoid I34 the target-sizingopening in that one of the target-varying disks which is brought infront of and to expose any one of the targets proper I66, I61, I68 andI69, will come into place squarely precisely as intended, all the gearscarrying these disks are limited to precisely one-quarter revolution oneach operation of said solenoid; the means here shown for attaining thisbeing a notched disk I99 and a suitably mounted leaf spring 290 forcoacting with such notches.

It will be noted that as shown each of the target-varying disks has asingle target-sizing opening therein, each such opening differentlyangularly placed on each disk, and each opening on a difierent disk of adirTerent size from any other. The home-plate disk I96 has the largestopening, I86a; the first-base disk I8! has the next largest opening,I8'ia; the second-base disk I88 has the next largest opening, 38a; andthe thirdbase disk has the smallest opening, that shown at As the partsare illustrated, that is, as they Would be at the start of a shootingperiod, or after the scoring of one run during a shooting period, eachof these four openings in the four disks is at the six oclock positionon the disk, so that the first-base target opening 136a is establishingthat target, that is, is exposing the target proper I19; but-with allthe disks rotatable by the pawl I94 in the direction indicated by thearrows on the disksthe disk carrying the first base target opening I8Ianeeds 90 of angular movement to establish the target at such base, thedisk carrying the second base target opening IBSa needs 180 of angularmovement to establish the target at third base, the disk carrying thethird base target opening I89a needs 270 of angular movement toestablish a target at third base, and, to refer again to thefirst-mentioned target opening IIiBa, the disk carrying that openingneeds 360 or a full revolution to reestablish a target at home plate.

Therefore, when, with the parts arranged as illustrated, the target lidis struck by a bullet, said target disappears, and another target Il'l,appears at first base, but smaller, the same indicating a man is onfirst base. When said target ill is struck, it disappears and anotherand still smaller target appears at second base, indicating a man is onthat base. When the lastmentioned target is struck, it disappears atthird base, indicating a man icon that base. When this last-mentionedsmallest target is struck, it disappears andthe apparatus is restored tothe condition shown, that is, the target at third base disappears, andthe largest target is again displayed at first base-the scoring of onerun being noted. automatically or otherwise.

Any suitable provision, such as that shown at M and ill in Fig. 2, canbe provided to limit the four disks its, till, we and M3?) to aone-quarter revolution each, on each energization of the solenoid.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 13and 14, which is shown principally diagrammatically (as it happens, likethe others, to be shown largely electrical in operation, as is nowpreferred), the feature of the present invention of having a targetprogress around. the bases is present, as is also the feature of havinga target variable in size as a differing test for the shooting skill ofthe person attempting to hit that target. In addition, the presentembodiment provides such a target, and one which varies in sizeaccording to the degree of skill shown by an opponent in a shootingcontest so far as is concerned the last shot fired by that opponent andwhich struck the target appointed for him to shoot at.

By the embodiment now about to be described, two contestants fire at thesame apparatus, without, preferably, one waiting for the other toconclude a shot; in order words, the embodiment now to be described issuch that there is not only a contest between the two persons shootingas to relative shooting skills, but a race as to which can shoot faster,while skillfully shooting.

To attain these ends, one target is assigned to one person. who-willhereinafter be calledthe batter, this target being always at the homeplate; and another target is provided, which last-mentioned targetfloria certain contingency, that is, immediately after a. hit is made by theba ter (such hit being a striking of the batters target at home plate bya bullet from his rifle) be called, is assigned the other contestant,

hereinafter called the fielder.

[is the invention is preferably carried out, the fleeting target, atwhichever of its four loc it be displayed, is varied in size accord icewith the relative de of skill eihib ted by the batter in his shot whichby stril the home plate battens target established the fleet-mg targetat any one of its four locations, that is, greater the degreeof skillexhibited by the batter in making said Shot, the smaller the fleetingtar-- get iswhen displayed at whatever base location it is due to take.

The batters target at home plate is located behind an opening 2M in thefront wall 20! of the apparatus. This target is here inthe form of fourtarget members, each hung to depend vertically by gravity from one offour suitable separate shafts on which they are respectively loose. Therearmost target member constituting a bulls-eye, is the most difficultto hit, since its area is that of a central circular opening, 203 in thenext forward target member 2st. In the same way,due to the similar andcorrespondingly larger openings in the various targetmembers between thetarget member 203 and the front wall 2M, and due to the largestopeningof all, the opening 20H, in the front wall 2M (note the opening204' in the target plate 284 immediately forward of the target plate203, and the opening 205' in a pair of suitably insulated fixed contacts2%,

run, 72M or its, and 2%, 2B1, 208' or 209'.

Preferably, the front faces of the target members 2M2, 2%, 2M, 2% arepainted or otherwise colored, each one differently from another, so thatthe front face of the target member 202 is of a color contrasting withthat of the front faces of the other target members and also with thatof the front wall 20! around the opening 20!.

At each of the four base points, in the front wall Elli, there isprovided an opening 2H], 2,

212 or 2H3, each here shown as square and indicated in dot-and-dashlines. Behind each of these openings is hung a target member 2M, Bib,2N5 or fill, each dependent vertically by grav ity from a suitable shafton which it is loose. When any one of these four target members isstruck, it is rocked baclrwardly, then touching a suitable insulatedfixed contact M8, M9, 220 or 22!.

Between the rear of the front wall 2%, and each of said openings are,Elli, H2 and M3, are provided three slide plates; as shown in detail inconnection with the first base opening 2H].

As there illustrated, a slide plate 222 is normally held inthe positionshown, that is, with an opening 222a therethrough out of alignment withand beyond any overlap of said opening Elli; as the result of the pullof a spring 223 and the action of a fixed stop pin 224. The opposite endof the plate 2'22 is secured to a reduced extension 225 of an armature225 of a solenoid 2525. When this solenoid is energized, the plate 1222is pulled against its spring to center the opening 222a with the opening21!].

Also, behind each of the four openings 2H0, 2H, tit and m as illustratedin the case of the openings 2! B, there are two other slide plates. Atthe opening 210, these slid-e plates are shown at 22'! and 228. Each ofthese is normally held as illustrated, that is, with both of the twoopenings 212i and 22 1 of the first-mentioned plate, and with both ofthe two openings 22B and 228*" of the second-mentioned plate, out ofalignment with and out of any overlap of the opening 2H1. Each of thetwo slide plates 221 and 228 has also a third hole (not shown); theseholes being located in the two plates 221 and 228 so that with saidplates arranged normally as in Fig. 13, said holes, which are at leastas large as the largest opening of the other four openings carried bythese two plates, that is, here at least as large as the opening 221 ofthe plate 221, are in registry with each other and in registry with theposition which will be assumed by the opening 222a in the plate 222 whenthat plate is pulled up by its solenoid 226. Each of said plates 221 and228 is normally held in its position just described by two balancingsprings at the opposite ends of each, those for the plate 221 beingmarked 221a and 2211) and those for the plate 228 being marked 228a and228?). Each of these springs is connected to an armature 229, 230, 23!or 232, by way of a reduced extension from said armature as illustrated;these armatures respectively being parts of solenoids 233, 234, 235 and236. The opposite ends of said armatures have similar reduced extensionsalso as illustrated, and of these lastmentioned extensions, those fromthe armatures 229 and 233 are secured to the opposite ends of the slideplate 221, and those from the armature 23! and 232 are secured to theopposite ends of the slide plate 223.

Thus, Whenever a solenoid 233, 234, 235 or 233 is energized,--andaccording to which one of said solenoids is energized, provided that atthe same time (which provision is herein made) the solenoid 226 isenergized,a target-modifying hole in one or the other of the slideplates 221 and 228 and of a different size-result rela tive to thetarget member 2I4 will be brought central with the target opening 2!!!in front wall 20! to register with the aforesaid third hole in the otherof said two slide plates 22'! and 228, and simultaneously the opening222a of the target-eife'ctuating plate 222 will be brought concentricwith said hole.

Preferably, the front faces of the three slide plates 222, 221 and 228are painted or otherwise similarly colored, but with a color contrastingto that of the coloration of the front face of the target member 2M.

A similar collection of slides, solenoids and mechanical assistants, isbehind each of the three other square openings 2| I, M2 and 213 in frontwall 29!. For simplifying the drawings, at these openings there areshown, in addition to the aforesaid target members M5, 2 l6 and H1,merely the solenoid windings corresponding to those of the solenoidsdescribed just above as behind the opening 2"], and their coactingelectrical elements, that is, the contacts 219, 220 and 22l,corresponding to the contact M8, and the wires leading to or from thesewindings and contacts.

At the second base square opening 2, the windings 231, 238, 239, 24!!and 24! respectively have functions corresponding to those of thewindings of the solenoids 226, 233, 234, 235 and 235; that is, thearmature of the solenoid including the winding 231 is connected to aslide plate (not shown) corresponding to the plate 222, and onenergization of said solenoid such plate is moved for targeteifectuation, the armatures of the solenoids including windings 238 and23!! carrying between them a slide plate (not shown) corresponding toplate 221 and control their plate as the plate 221 is controlled by thesolenoids 233 and 234, and the armatures of the solenoids includingwindings 240 and 24! carry between them a slide plate (not shown)corresponding to the plate 228 and control their plate as the plate 228is controlled by the solenoids 235 and 236.

7 Similarly, at the third base square opening 2I2, the windings 242,243, 244, 245 and 246 respectively have functions corresponding to thoseof the windings of the solenoids 226, 233, 234, 235 and 236 associatedwith the first base square opening 210,

And, similarly, at the home-plate square opening 253, the windings 241,248, 249, 250 and 25! respectively have functions corresponding to thoseof the windings of the said solenoids 226, 233, 236', 235 and 235associated with the said first base square opening 2H].

Referring to the batters target, such target marked ET in Figs. 13 and14, each of the target members 252, 253, 204 and 205 thereof is providedwith an offset arm 202a, 233a, 204a or 205a for closing the circuitsincluding the contacts 2% and 225', 231 and 251, 208 and 208', or 229and 203, when that target member is rocked by the impact of a bullet.

From said contacts 208, 221, 208 and 2093, respectively, extend wires252, 253, 254 and 255; these wires going, respectively, to brushes 256,25?, 253 and 259. Said brushes ride respectively on conductor rings 2%,26!, 262 and 263. These rings, carried by a metal distributor disk,which disk is marked FTC, since it may be aptly called the fielderstarget-changer, are insulated from each other and from all other partsof the disk, except that the ring 260 is electrically connected to acontact 254 and the rings 2?, 262 and 263 are, respectively, similarlyconnected to contacts 265, 262 and 261, all at the periphery of the diskand insulated from each other as by the ring of insulation shown. Anadditional or fifth contact 258 is integral with, or at any rateelectrically connected with, the metal disk FTC.

Each of the peripheral contacts 254, 265, 266 and 251 on said disk isseparately served by one of the four individual fixed brushes 255, 255,251 and 258; and hence on a rocking of an appropriate target member ofthe batters target BT, and only on the rocking of that particular targetmember, some one, but only one, of said four brushes will be placed incircuit. However, the fifth of such contacts, 268, is served by a brush269, which is arranged to be placed in a closed circuit whenever any oneof the four target members of the target ET is rocked.

Consider, for example, the slide plates and the other parts associatedwith the first-base square opening 2M3. Assume that the disk FTC, whichis rotatable about a central shaft, is disposed as in Fig. 13; as itwould be disposed at the commencement of a shooting contest. Then thefive fixed brushes 212, 21!, 212, 213 and 214 are respectively engagingthe aforesaid five contacts at the periphery of the disk FTC-Whichcontacts will hereinafter be called the target-flitting contacts, andwhich fixed brushes will hereinafter be called the first-base monitorcontacts. Assume next that any one of the four target members of thetarget ET is rocked by a bullet from the fielders rifle 215 strikingsuch target member; thereby to place the current supply source 218' incurrent-feeding relation to the four firstbase monitor brushes 21G, 21!,212, 213 and 214 by way of wires 218, 219 and 28! and the wire 23!. 282,233 or 232, these last going, respectively,

through different ones of the target members of the target BT todifferent ones of the contacts 2%, till, 2% and 2M and thence throughdifferent ones of the wires 252, 253, 254' and 255, to different ones ofthe brushes 256, 251, 258 and Then, according to which of said targetmembers is so struclnthe solenoid 233, 234, 235 or 2% will be energized,to move the proper slide 22l or 222 to center in the first-base squareopening Still the appropriate target-sizing opening carried. by thatplate.

The fixed brush 2'l3, when the easiest to hit of the target members ofthe target BT, that is the target member2ll5, is struck, receivescurrent to complete a circuit through the solenoid this circuitincluding a wire 285, the winding of said solenoid and a wire 236 toground. And, similarly, the fixed brush 212, if it is the next mostdii'licult target member 204 which is struck, receives current tocomplete a circuit through the solenoid 234-this circuit including awire 2%, the winding of said solenoid and a wire hill to ground; thefixed brush 21 l if it is the next most difiicult target member 203which is struck, receives'current to complete a circuit through thesolenoid MEL-this circuit including a wire 288, the winding of thesolenoid, and a wire 289 to ground; and the fixed brush 21!], if it isthe most diiiicult target member 202 which is struck, receives currentto complete a circuit throughthe solenoid Mathis circuit including awire 29!], the winding of the solenoid, and a wire 29l to ground.

Now, regardless of which of the target-sizing opening 22? and 222", 228and 223",, is moved into operative position relative to the fielderstarget at first base as described in the last para graph, such target iseifectuated only when the opening 2220: of the slide plate 222 is movedup to uncover such targetsizil g opening. Therefore, every time the BTtarget is struck by a bullet from the batters rifle 215, the solenoid22b is energized, thus to move the slide plate 222. This is accomplishedthrough the brush 269, the and the fifth first-base monitor brush El t;current flowing from source 216, and by way of the wires 211. 216, 219and 2130, through wires 292 and m, and thence by way of the brush 2% tothe FTC, and thence from the brush illl l, through a wire 294 to thewinding ofthe solenoid 225, and thence through a wire 2% to ground.

As hereinabove already explained. similar slide plates, solenoids andcircuits are at the square second-base, third base and home-plateopenings M l. M2 and 253 (these last constituting on the propercontingencies the fielders targets); in which connection it is nowfurther explained that:

(a) In regard to the second-base fielders target at the opening Ell,fixed brushes 296, 291, res and no, connected respectively by wires555W. itlllii iitl t and M5 to the second-base slide-controllingsolenoids 23B, 239. 24! 2M and correspond respectively to the first-basemonitor brushes 215i, 2'55, 212. 213 and 21d.

(b) In regard to the third-base fielders target at opening 2H, fixedbrushes see, 391, MB, and Bit. connected respectively by wires 3! i, M2,M3, 3M, and 315 to the third-base slidecontrolling solenoids 243, 244,265i, and 242, correspond respectively to said first-base monitorbrushes ill), 21!, M2, 213 and 214.

(c) In regard to the home-plate fielders target at the opening illE-i,fixed brushes 3th, dill, 3W, 3m and 320, connected respectively by wires32!, 322, 323, 326 and 325 to the home-plate slidecontrolling solenoids248, 249, 256, 25! and 241, correspond respectively to said first-basemonitor brushes 210, 21L 212, 213 and 214.

In order to rotate the FTC disk one-quarter revolution at each strikingof any target member of the batters target BT,--thereby, according asthe contacts on said disk are opposite the firstbase, the second-base,the third-base, or the home-plate monitor brushes, to transfer suchcontacts from said brushes to the brushes at the next base around thebase lines in the direction in which a base runner customarily advancesin an actual game of baseball,a solenoid 326 is provided. This solenoidis energized when any target member of the batters target ET is struckby a bullet from the rifle 215; by way of the appropriate contact 2%,201', 208 or 209'-current flowing from source 218', through wires 211,218, 219 and 280, a Wire EM, 282, 233 or 284,

thence to the proper one of said contacts, thence through a wire 321,328, 329 and 339, and thence through a wire 33!, the winding of thesolenoid, and a wire 332 to ground.

On. each energization of said solenoid 325 (see Fig. 15) the armature334 thereof is moved against a retractile spring 335 connected to anarmature extension 334. Said extension is pivoted to the outer end of anarm 336 loose on a shaft 331; there being also pivoted to this arm apawl 338 coacting with a ratchet 335 to which is fixed a spur gear 34!]meshing with a pinion 3M fixed to the disk FTC for rotation therewith.

The first task of the person shooting with the batters rifle 215 is toplace the smallest fielders target he can at first base. How that isdone has been explained.

As soon as this fielders target is established, it be omes the task ofthe person shooting with the flelders rifle M2 to shoot accuratelyenough to hit that target, and to. shoot quickly enough to hit thattarget before another shot from the batters rifle 215 strikes a targetmember of the batters target BT and thereby causes the fielders targetto flit or advance from first base to second base. On the other hand, itis the batters task now to cause such flitting of the fielders targetbefore a bullet from the fielders rifle M2 strikes said target at itsthen location. and so preclude the fielder from obtaining an out. (Fromnow on, and until hereinbelow another paragraph in parentheses reached,and for a reason which will be understood from that paragraph, thecircuits of Fig. 13 will be described as though each of the contacts 2%,201. 2% and 209, respectively. connect directly, as indicated in Fig.14, with the wires 252, 2M and 255; that is, as though the wires A, B, Cand D, the wires a, b, c and d, and the elements interposed betweenthese wires, were not present.)

Referring to said task of the person shooting with the fielders r fleM2. the following parts are provided: At is shown, by way of example. asolenoid which will register in some suitable way such an out. each timethe flittin target, whatever be its base location. is struck by abullet. This result. in part. is attained by the engagement of any oneof the base-point target members 2M, 2S5, 2m and 2!?! when rocked on itssuspend ng shaft by impact of a bullet, with the adjacent fixed contact2l8. 2|9, 220 or 22!. Current from the source 218 is fed to the targetmember 2M through the wires 21''! and 218 and a wire 344; to the targetmember 215 at second-base, through the wire 2W; to the target member 2it at third base, through the wires 211, 213, 219, 28d and 292 andthrough a wire 345; and to the home-plate target member 2H, through thewires 211, 212i, 219 and 28!! and a wire 3%. From the first-base contact25B wires 341 and 3% lead to the solenoid 3 13; from the second-basecontact 2E9 a wire 349 leads to said solenoid; from the first-basecontact 22! the connection to said solenoid is through a wire are, awire till and said Wire 3438; and the homeplate contact 273i isconnected to said solenoid through a wire 352 and said wires and Thesolenoid is grounded through a wire In this form of the invention, as inthe others previously above described, each shot from either the rifle215 or that from the rifle 342, which is abortive, can be recordedagainst the person firing the shot. Thus each shot from the rifle 215which misses making a hit, could be registered as a strike. And, equallyas appropriate- .ly, each shot from the rifle 352 which misses aflitting target, could be registered as an error.

As to these strike registrations, every time the rifle 215 is fired, asolenoid 35 i is shown. as being energized, through a wire 355, leadingfrom the rifle 215, through a wire 355 grounding said so1enoid, througha wire 351 branched ofl from the sup-ply wire 21%, and through a switchin the rifle as described above in connection with the rifle 8&3 of Fig.6. This solenoid 35% can operate any suitable strike-registeringmechanism, as for instance that described in connection with Figs. 1 to6. However, as in Figs. 1 to 6. such strike registration should becancelled if the firing of the rifie Z15 results in hitting one of thetarget members of the batters target BT. In order to attain. thisresult, as for instance by the means described above in connection withFigs. 1 to 6, there is provided a strike-cancelling solenoid 358, whichis supplied with current when any one of the contacts 2%, 231, 2% 263'is touched by the rocking of a target member of the batters target ET;in which connection it will be noted that a wire 35%] branches off fromthe wire 3M and leads to the solenoid 358, such solenoid being groundedthrough a wire 359.

As to error registration, the rifle 342 is provided with atrigger-operated switch as is the rifle 215; and there are provided asolenoid 36!! corresponding in registration efilcacy with the solenoid35 i and a solenoid 36! correspondingasto registration-cancellingeflicacy with the solenoid To the rifle M2 extends a wire 362, branchedoff from the supply wire 219, and from said rifle extends a wire 33 tothe solenoid 368, such solenoid being grounded through a wire 364. Thesolenoid is supplied with current through a wire branched off from thewire 348, and such solenoid is grounded through a wire 3%. As will berecalled, each time a bullet from. the rifle 3M. strikes any one of thebase-point target members M4, 2E5, 296 or 2l1, one of the four contacts218, 289, 221i and 225 is touched by said target member to close acircuit including said wire 348 and the source 218'.

will be understood, the mechanism corresponding or equivalent infunction to that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 6 for recordingruns accumulated by the person shooting with the rifle 215, can beincorporated.

(Referring further to Fig. 13, the circuits of this view have beendescribed, as hereinabove stated, in a paragraph in parentheses, asthough the wires A, B, C and D, the wires a, b, c and d, and theelements interposed between these wires,

were not present. However, if from. the embodiment of Figs. l3, l4 and15, these last mentioned parts or some suitable substitutes wereomitted, every time any one of the four target members of the batterstarget B'I were struck, there would, it is true, be displayed at one ofthe square base-target openings 2m, 2 l H2 and 2&3 a flitting fielderstarget of the proper size, but such target would only fieetingly appear,that is, it would appear and then immediately disappear. Theenergization of the proper solenoids at, for instance, the square baseopening Zlll (i. e., the solenoid 226 and one of the four solenoids 233,234, 235 and 236) would be only momentary, and until the struck targetmember of target BT returned by gravity to its normal position spacedaway from its contact 2%, 291, 288 or 269. To avoid this difiiculty theshown arrangement is such that said contact 266 is connected to the wireA, said'wire branching off into the winding of a solenoid 316 and thenceto ground, and into a lead 31! to the pivoted end of a contact arm 312;while from a fixed contact 313, to be touched by the free upper end ofthis arm when the latter is swung to the right, there is extended thewire a to the wire 252. In the same way, the wire B from contact 231branches through leads 314 and 315 to another similar solenoid 316 andto another similar contact arm 311, and the wire 1) from a similar fixedcontact 318 is extended to the wire 253. In the same way, the wire Cfrom the contact 208 branches through leads 318 and 380 to anothersimilar solenoid 38! and to another similar contact arm 382, and thewire 0 from a similar fixed contact 383 is extended to the Wire 25 1.And in the same way, the wire D from the contact Elliibranches throughleads 384 and 385 to another similar solenoid 386 and to another similarcontact arm 381, and the wire d from a similar fixed contact 388 isextended to the wire 255. Now each of these four solenoids has anarmature which is of iron or other suitable magnetic material only atthe block shown at its extreme lefthand end, but which otherwise and upto and including the reduced extension thereof to the right of thesolenoid winding, is of phosphor bronze .or some other non-magneticmaterial, so that on energization of the solenoid said block will centeritself in said winding and said reduced extension will move to the rightsufficiently to swing the associated contact arm 312, 311, 382 or 38'!far enough to the right, to connect the wire A with the wire a, the wireB with the wire I), the wire C with the wire 0, or the wire D with thewire d, by way of one of the fixed contacts 313, 318, 383 and 388. Thearmature of each of these solenoids is normally urged to the positionillustrated, by a suitable spring (now shown). Each of said contact arms312, 311, 382 and 381, is, as indicated, provided with friction means atits pivot, so that when said arms is moved as above described or ismoved in the opposite direction back to its normal positionillustrated), it will stay in the position to which it has been moved.Thus, each time a flitting fielders target is made to appear at any baseand of any size, by the striking by a bullet from the fielders rifle 215of a target member of the batters target BT, that fielders target willremain on display after the target member last mentioned has returned bygravity to vertical position. In order, however, to cause said flittingtarget to disappear, when the same is struck by a bullet from theflelders rifle 342, a wire 389 is tapped from the meeting point of wires350 andttl, through which two wires last-mentioned current flows asabove described whenever any one of the four flitting targets is struck.This I wire 3% has four branches each leading as shown to a winding of adifferent one of four solenoids will, 39!, 392 and 3%. These solenoidslast-mentioned, all constructed alike and all attended by springs in thesame Way as the solenoids nextmentioned, are opposite to and in linewith, respectively, each of the solenoids ii'lil, till, tilt. Thus, onthe striking of any flitting fielders target, at any of the four baseopenings Fill), 2i i 2M". and 2 It, all the solenoids 3%, till, 392 andililti are energized, and the armature of the one thereof opposite thesolenoid am, 316, MB or 3% which previously moved the associated pivotedcontact arm to engage its associated fixed contact 3113i, 31%], 383 or33%, is moved to the left sufilciently to throw that pivoted contact armback to the position illustrated; the springs associated with thesolenoids 3%, EM, 392 and then immediately restoring the armatures ofsaid solenoids to the positions illustrated.)

Referring now to the embodiment shown in Figs. 16, 17 and 18, this is atype of device in which the missile is a light-beam or ray of light froma so--called ray-gun, and is shown as so arranged that when the gun isproperly aimed "and the light therefrom strikes a photoelectric cell w lthe target at which the next shot is to be fired has its areadiminished.

Diminution of the target area is accomplished by rotating a disk 395fixed to a shaft 3% to which a ratchet Bill is also fixed. The ratchethere has twenty teeth, so that on each fractional rotation of theratchet to the extent of one tooth the disk will rotate through l/20thof a revolution.

The disk 3% in the present case is provided with twenty round openings,five identical groups; that is, with each group, proceeding around thedisk as seen in Fig. 17 in a clockwise direction, consisting first of anopening 398 of greatest size, next an opening 399 of smaller size, nextan opening MW of still smaller size, and last an opening Mil of smallestsize,

With the disk 3% arranged as in Fig. 17, as it would be whenever aplayer begins shooting, one of the largest openings 398is opposite thecell 3%.

Whenever the gun is so well aimed that the light-ray therefrom goesthrough the last-mentioned opening an, a solenoid ist is energized. Tothe armature of this solenoid isattacheda rod 4% connected to an arm 4B4rockable on shaft 3%, and carrying a pawl liltl for the ratchet. Onenergization of the solenoid thedisk 395 is rotated 1/20th of arevolution in the direction of Thuseach time the solenoid 482 ismomentarily energized in the manner just above described, the parts arereadjusted so that the marksmanship of the person shooting receives aharder test than the one before, until he has energized the solenoid Mirby striking the cell 394 with a light-ray so well aimed that it passesthrough one of the smallest openings 40!, thereby to, bring in a run.,as Will be described in amoment.

The device is contained in a box-like housing M18, against the back wallof which the solenoid 402.15 mounted by a bracket 4%, which back wallalso serves to support the rear end of the shaft 396, and carries ablock llll on which the cell .39 3 is mounted. The free end of the shaftis supported at the upper end of a bracket ill of inverted llshapesecured inside the housing to the bottom wall thereof.

A socket for an electric light bulb H2, and an electric bell M3, arecarried by a slab 4H1 of insu1atlng material, this slab attached to thebracket at i.

Current is supplied from a wire M5. A wire tit from the wire ilt isconnected to one terminal of the cellts l, and a wire il'i leads fromthe other terminal of said cell to one end of the coil of the solenoidit?! the other end of which coil is grounded as. shown.

Each time the light-ray from a ray-gun strikes the cell 3st, thesolenoid M2 is energized, thereby to diminish the target area, until arunis brought cessive closings of the switch M9 causes actuation of thesolenoid a corresponding number of times thereby to return the disk tonormal position.

At the four corners of the front of the housing fills are blocks G20 and412i. These form a pocket for the reception within the front end of thehousing of a pane 4122 of clear glass. This pane is held in place by anopen frame 123, of L- shaped cross-section as seen best in Fig. 18.

This glass pane is painted or otherwise treated so as to be opaque allover except, as shown in Fig. 16, for a circular area M l, below calledthe target window, and except for a circular area 525 spaced downwardfrom the target window and below called the run window, and except forfour square areas 426, Ml, Md and 29, hereinafter called first-base,second-base, third-base and home plate. The opaque portion of the glasspane can be decorated in any suitable way, and have any printed matterthereon, either in the present case, the pane carries the usual baselinemarkings and a line-marking extended from the home plate to about thecenter of the baseball diamond represented by said base-line markingsand the square areas Mt through 4%; and adjacent the run window 425 isthe phrase Run In.

Comparing Figs. 16 and 17, it will be noted that the electric light bulbM2 is positioned so as to. light up the run window 322i but is served bya shield d353, 18, so as not to affect the cell 3%; and thatfirst-base,second-base, thirdbase and the home plate, 1 26, 127, 1528 andJlEQ, arepositioned as indicated in dot and dashlines in Fig. 1'7; and that afterany fractional rotation of the disk 3% by energization of the solenoid582, one of five Maltese-crosses on the disk will be behind one of thetransparent areas 426, 421, 428 and M9. These crosses are marked 43!,432, 433, 434 and 435.

